The Departure, Pablo Picasso, Part one

by John Brantingham

Pablo
leaves nothing identifiably human
on his knight.

Why would he?
Those who watch him go
smile benignly with love
or is it naivete?
The two are often married.

Perhaps they smile
because they are as happy as he was
to see soldiers wrap themselves up in their steel,
pick up their pointy toys
and canter out of town.